Changes Of Those We Thought We Knew
by these-epicnights
Summary: After 6 years at Hogwarts Lily and James are back for their final year. And they've both been thinking. What & Who will be different? Will James grow up? Will Lily ever see that hes's not the bad guy?LJ formerly THE FINAL YEAR
1. The Train Ride

Well I have been wanting to do this for a while so I finally did!  
thanks to Lillie, Emma and Raquel (even though we have different opinions on good couples!)

((James thoughts are in bold and Lily's are italics, just so you know. I don't think I'll do any 1st person but if I do I'll warn you first.))

Lily stepped on the Hogwarts Express and felt a sense of finality. For the last 6 years she had stepped onto this scarlet train. For the last six years she had searched through the screaming crowd looking for her friends. Now as she entered her seventh year it was the last time she would ever do that.

"It seems odd doesn't it? It's so final. We never have to do this again. It's just…odd." Lily turned to see one of her favorite classmates, Remus Lupin. Like her he had been prefect the last two years and she had expected him to be head boy to her head girl, but she couldn't see a badge on him anywhere.

Just as she was about to answer him an arm snaked around her waist and a hand clamped over her mouth to stop her screaming she presumed. These arms, who she rationally thought must obviously belong to a person (and quite a strong one at that. Then could it be? No even he wouldn't go that far!) was pulling her into a compartment.

After finally being let go Lily smoothed her hair and turned to see who had rudely pulled her away from her conversation.

"SIRIUS BLACK what on earth possessed you to pull me into a compartment with you?!" Sirius Black was easily considered the best looking boy at school, with his black hair and grey eyes. Not to mention his smarmy grin.

"Well Evans a few reasons. I have something to tell you which I cant out in the hallway 'coz James might hear and we can't have him hearing what I'm about to tell you. Besides I think we both know you would love being stuck in a compartment with me. All alone. We could even shut the door?" he wiggled his eyebrows up and down.  
Lily really didn't have time for this. She never had time for Sirius or his best friend James Potter who had been obsessively asking her out for the better part of six years.

"So what do you have to tell me? Why can't James hear? And why are YOU telling me?"

"Peter's too shy, Remus is all upset about it and I have a bet with James that you'll hex him into next week if he tells you and frankly I want my gold" he said this all very fast and was now flicking through a magaizine he had conjured up.

"Look Black are you gunna tell me or do I have to hex it out of you?"

At this Sirius looked rather frightened. No one wanted to be on the spell end of Lilly Evans' wand. He put his hands up in a sign of surrender.

"James is head boy."

"What? But Remus…James… work…and me...crazy ...Dumbledore"

"And that darling Lilly was my reaction."

At his trademark smarmy grin Lily promptly strode out of the compartment  
and right into James Potter.

His face burst into a grin. The in almost the same instant it disappeared and he addressed her with that deep, pleasantly mature voice that she suspected he kept just for her:

"Why Evans what would you be doing in a compartment all alone with" at this James turned to see who had been dared been alone in the room with Lily, who thanks to him no boy in their right mind would even think of liking because she was 'his' girl. "SIRIUS?!"

"Hey mate" Sirius was still flicking through his magazine trying to feign innocence.

"What were you doing with Sirius? No he wouldn't…..Padfoot you told her didn't you?" At the realization that his best friend has betrayed him James shook his head sadly. At this Sirius just shrugged as if to say, I'm me what would you expect?

Lily turned to have a proper look at James, he had grown another few inches over the summer and his black hair was as messy as ever, his hazel eyes were looking down at her expectantly, wondering what she was going to say at this revelation.

"How'd you do it Potter?"

"Do what Evans?" James actually looked confused.

"How'd you manage to become Head Boy?"

"Well you should know Evans; I'm not as idiotic as you think. Why I even believe McGonagall has referred to me as a Transfiguration prodigy. Then there's the Quidditch thing. Not to mention everyone likes me." Lily couldn't tell if he was mocking her or being completely serious.

"Not everyone likes you" Lily muttered under her breath as she turned to walk away and find her friends. However for the second time today she found herself with an arm around her waist pulling her into a compartment.

"Evans surely you can't actually mean that?" he was looking very intently at Lily and she wasn't quite sure how she felt about that. She was looking right into his eyes, they really were hazel, she had heard the saying the eyes are the window to the soul but she had never known it to be true about anyone.

Except James.

She realized three things in that moment: one, she had never been this close to him without her wand jabbed into his chin, two that he wasn't holding her there she was standing this close to him by her choice and three that if she didn't move soon she would never live it down.

"Potter have you not been paying attention to me the last six years? Of course I do. I'm sure you can be a nice normal person but I have yet to see it." And for the final time she walked out to the compartment and towards the prefect's carriage.

"OI Evans wait up! I need to tell you something!"

"For crying out loud Potter what? If its will you go out with me then the answer is no!"

"Erm…that wasn't it actually. I was just going to tell you that I'm really glad we're working together this year. Erm yeah that's it."

Lily looked up at him in shock. He actually seemed to mean it. He wasn't joking or messing around. He was actually being sincere.

"Ah…well thanks Potter. I'm sort of glad it'll be you I'm working with to."

After hearing she wasn't going to yell at him his face he smiled and began to walk back into his compartment. Lily stood rooted to the spot for a moment. It was the first conversation they had had in a long time that hadn't started with "will you go out with me?" and ended in her screaming insults at him.

Lily wasn't sure how it made her feel.


	2. The Feast

Hey guys sorry I didn't put a full summary or (disclaimer now that I think about it) in the last/first chapter, so here it is:

Six years of Hogwarts have been and gone. Now as Lily Evans enters her seventh year, will anything or should that be anyone be different? Will certain people grow up? James Potter has been thinking. He's been thinking that maybe egotistical isn't the way to woo Lily also known as the love of his life. Maybe he should grow up. After all he only has one year left to prove to her that he actually loves her and isn't just in it for the chase.  
Rated T for later chapters. Lilly/James. My take on how they got together.

DISCLAIMER: **insert standard disclaimer here.**

* * *

THE FEAST:

After finally escaping the Mauraderers and briefing the prefects and patrolling, Lily Evans had no time left to find her friends so she just changed into her robes and sat in the Prefects Carriage fuming about James Potter and the recent revelation of him being made Head Boy.

She couldn't find her friends in the Threstral pulled carriages either so she had to settle for finding them at the Feast. She was ushered over by her friends. After the sorting they finally got to catch up.

"Lily Evans! Where on earth have you been?" This came from Lily's best friend Alice Smith, a fellow Gryffindor. She was a short round faced woman with blond wispy hair.

"I got erm waylaid by Potter and his lot."

Her friends suddenly weren't looking at her. They seemed very interested in the argument happening over at the Ravenclaw table.

Finally Alice nudged their other friend Amelia Bones. Amelia turned to Alice and mouthed _what? _Alice kept flicking her eyes from Lily to the door and back to Amelia.

"So um…Lily you know then do you?" Amelia finally blurted out while glaring daggers at Alice.

"About what? Potter being Head Boy? Yes, Black not so politely pulled me into a compartment with him. All alone. With a lockable door and curtains." About halfway through this Lily had changed into her '_Black and or Potter is and idiot voice' _and was wiggling her eyebrows up and down not in a dissimilar way to Sirius. to anyone else it would have seemed she too had fallen for Sirius Blacks charm bit her friends knew she was mocking him.

"Oh thank Merlin! We don't have to tell you!" Their best male friend Fabien Prewett had finally spoken up.

Lily narrowed her eyes at them. "You three knew? You knew the bane of my existence had been made Head Boy and you didn't tell me?"

Lily heard Alice mutter to Fabien "think before you speak how hard it that?"

"Erm well we weren't exactly sure it was reliable information." Amelia and Alice nodded in agreement.

"Care to explain?" Lily was thoroughly confused by now.

Alice had obviously decided words probably weren't the best option right now and began to pull something out from her pocket. It was a gold and red greeting card with Head Boy written on the front with fireworks going off in the background. Lily opened it tentatively. It began to sing to the tune of 'We Wish you a Merry Christmas', very loudly too, 'James Potter made Head Boy, James Potter made Head Boy, James Potter made Head Boy, but please don't tell Lily!'

Lily was speechless. She was just staring at the card in shock. "Why does that voice sound so familiar?"

Once again the floor became very interesting to her friends. "Well erm that would be because its erm… well Lily it's Sirius." Amelia managed to say very fast.

Lily was once more speechless. Calmly she got up and walked down the table to where the Mauraderer's were sitting.

"5 galleons says she slaps Black."  
"Nope it'll be Potter."  
"10 says Potter asks her out even after she yells at Black"  
"15 says that she slaps both of 'em but Potter still asks her out"

Unfortunately for Lily's friends she wasn't quite out of earshot.

* * *

Down the other end of the table James and Sirius were stuffing their faces as fast as they could while Peter looked on in envy. Remus however had noticed Lily walking down the Great Hall purposefully and perhaps even more important he had noticed that she held one of Sirius' singing cards in her hand.

"Padfoot mate, Padfoot…for Merlins sake Sirius!"

"Mooey bloby heh wah?!" Seeing Remus' gleeful expression he turned to see what had caused such a large grin. Quickly he swallowed his food and elbowed James. James' action mimicked Sirius'.  
Then in unison they murmured "Oh Bugger."

"Lily! Long time no see! Now to what do I - er that is _we _owe this lovely pleasure?" James was rambling, an obvious sign he was scared.

Lily had realized what James and Sirius obviously thought was going to happen, not surprising as it was what her friends were betting on.

"Hello Remus, Peter sorry we didn't get to have a proper conversation on the train but seeing as I got so rudely…Sirius do you think kidnapped would be the right word?" Lily was smiling but like the rest of Hogwarts Sirius knew that was when she could be most dangerous.

"Uh yeah that would probably be the right word Lily." Remus looked down the table and could see the pile of gold in front of Lily's friends and suddenly caught on. Lily looked at Remus and understood that he also knew. With an elegant sweep of his arm he summoned up a chair for Lily.

"Now Block there's no need to sound so worried. I just came to sit here and talk. And simply tell you that you seem to have a lovely singing voice". During a rant of her own lily had taken advantage of Sirius inability to move and had stolen his plate and was not eating what remained of his food.

This of course was after she placed the singing card in front of him.

"Here we go". Said Peter under his breath. He was the only one who looked even halfway excited.

Sirius looked to James for support. James just held up his hands "Sorry mate you cost me 10 Galleons on the train."  
"Traitor"

"Look Lily about those it was just a joke. I mean of course I wanted you to know, don't go getting the wrong idea but I wanted to be the one to tell you, I mean it gave us a nice conversation on the train. Oh and about that I really am sorry about pulling you like that, I didn't bruise you did I? Because if I did I can happily offer Prongs' services." Even when he was in trouble Sirius managed to fit in some arrogant remark.

"Black I really don't care for excuses. I just want to have a nice civil conversation with you. You know about how if you try to keep something from me again I will make it very hard for you to procreate. Oh and James don't forget, 8 o' Clock Head Duties". Lily smirked at their confused faces and then again at Remus falling off the chair. in laughter of course.

Lily walked slowly back to her friends, scooped up the piles of galleons that had accumulated on the table, smiled and went to round up the first years.

**Authours note: there is a plot to this story I just needed a filler chapter although now that I think of it I may need two…**

**Any way REVIEW!!!! I will give the 100th reviewer my first born child! Well maybe my first grown carrot…**


	3. Talking with Dumbledore

**AUTHOURS NOTE: I don't really like peter that much wonder why? so I will just not mention him, so unless I say he's not there in a group scene, he is I just don't want to have him in the scene as an actual character. Or you can always imagine he's quiet and scared and stuff.**

Because Lily had taken it upon herself to take the first years up to the tower, James Potter decided he would find Dumbledore and see what he, as Head Boy, was needed for.

"Ah Mr. Potter, I take it your train ride was enjoyable? And the feast up to usual Hogwarts standards?" James had always thought the Headmaster had an odd way of expressing amusement.

"Yes Sir, it was indeed. Ev- err that is Lily has taken the first years up to the tower, so I just wanted to see if there was anything we needed to be doing in the next week or if there was anything you needed us to do…" James trailed off after realizing how desperate he seemed.

"Well not at the moment, Classes haven't even started yet. But it will save me telling you tomorrow, all you need to do in the next few days is draw up a patrol roster and give us some ideas for Hogsmede weekends. It will be my final decision but, ideas are always appreciated." Dumbledore smiled.

"Yes sir I'm sure we will have time for that." James turned and began to walk away.

"Oh and Mr. Potter?" At the sound of his headmaster's voice James turned. "You and Miss Evans will have a separate Common Room and two extra dormitories and bathrooms this year. At the end of the prefects' corridors behind the portrait of the ducklings, the password is lighthouse."

James realized that Lily wasn't going to be over the moon about this but in any case he replied "thank you Sir. I'll let Lily know." And walked back up to Gryffindor tower.

When he got there, Lily was sitting in front of the fire staring at it blankly. Sirius and Remus were at on of the tables playing wizard chess. James acknowledged them but instead walked over and sat at the chair next to Lily.

"We don't have to sit here anymore"But instead of Lily turning and looking at James with her withering stare as she usually does, she did nothing. She just continued to sit and stare. Slightly worried James got out of his chair and walked over to her seat and knelt down in front of her.

"Lily? Are you ok?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah I'm fine. The fire it just…I like looking at it ok? What do you mean we don't have to look at it anymore?"

This was the Lily James had been expecting. "Well we have out our own common room and dormitories and bathrooms. Behind the duckling portrait at the end of the prefect's corridor, password lighthouse."

"Oh, that's nice; do you want to move some stuff over? Our trunks still came up here."

"Now? Its 8 o'clock" James saw Lily's face, there was anger? Disappointment? He wasn't sure; it wasn't something he had scene before. "Which means it's the perfect time to move everything."

Lily smiled at his change of pace and went up to get her things. James stood dumbfounded for a second until Sirius threw a ball of parchment at him. Hard. "OW! Padfoot what was the point in that?!"

"Remus tried but he couldn't reach." Sirius looked rather proud of himself.

"James? The reason we tried to hit you was so you would _go up and get your stuff!_"

"Oh err – right." And as James began to run up the stairs to his dormitory he stopped half way up and yelled down "HA I don't have to share with Padfoot anymore!" and on that note he collected his trunk, all the while singing "no more sharing with Padfoot" under his breathe, and came back down to wait for Lily.

* * *

Ok so this was filler chapter number 1.

Next chapter i have the mandatory "seeing the common room and realising that they're happy to be sharing this space" chapter and then the REAL REAL plot begins!  
REVIEW PLEASE. (i know far too many caps.)


	4. Seeing the Common Room

**Welcome Back! Ok this is The Final Year by ktlyn. It's also my second update in less than a week and I'm very happy with myself. And my very sore hands!  
****AND: thank you so much to everyone who reads this! even if you don't review(But i would really prefer if you did!) **

**I'm sure you guys know the drill by now: DISCLAIMER: i do not own Harry Potter, any of the characters etc. i have tweaked some ie: Lily's friends. but thats it! and the plot is mine. obv. lol**

"Ok….Seriously Lily how much further is the Prefects corridor?" James Potter was sore and out of breath. He had been lugging his trunk around Hogwarts for a half hour. He and the Head Girl Lily Evans, who coincidentally James had been in love with since about fourth year, were moving there things out of Gryffindor tower and into the heads common room and dormitories. However having never been a prefect James wasn't exactly sure how far away from the tower the Prefects Corridor was.

"Oh come on Pot – James, it's not much further. Just a few hundred meters actually." James could have sworn Lily was smirking at him. About ten minutes ago he had complained about the weight and Lily had offered to carry her own trunks but being the – ahem – gentleman that he was James had bristled at the thought and refused - again - to let her carry her own trunk.

What he still hadn't realized was that the new Common Room and dormitories were in fact one flight of stairs and three corridors away. However Lily had been taking him the extremly long way to make up for this.

"Potter here you go, the duckling portrait at the end of the corridor." Lily turned to see that James was lying a few feet behind her surrounded by their luggage. She stifled a giggle; it probably wasn't the best time to remind him that he was a wizard and could have levitated it.

* * *

After Lily had almost pulled him to his feet James went and entered the room. He walked about ten steps and stopped in his tracks. It was like nothing he had seen before. It must have been one of the only rooms in the castle with marble floor instead of stone or the even less common wood. The walls were covered in a deep red tapestry with gold accents. On either side of the slightly curved room were two identical stair cases, which led to the balcony at the far side of the room. In the middle of the balcony were two doors.

James turned to look at Lily; she was looking around in awe. This was when James loved being with her. She was slowly circling, trying to take everything in. Her green eyes were twinkling with amazement and her dark red hair was falling around her shoulders, cascading in front of one side of her face. James pushed off the wall he had been leaning on, and walked over slowly to push it out of her face.

"It was covering your eyes." James muttered when Lily raised her eyebrows at him. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, and went to look at his room. Lily stunned sat down and watched him. That was the closet he had been to her since the end of fifth year when he was trying to explain the incident with Snape after the Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. Lily winced remembering she had stuck her wand up under his chin threatening some very nasty things. She shook her head, there was no way she was actually feeling remorse over something she had done to James Potter. Even if over the last five months, (of which she had actually only had had to speak to him for two) he had been semi-human and even more so this year.

Then deciding this would be the perfect time to use her "I can actually remember to use magic when it would help" point against himshe rose herself from the very comfortable chair and pointed at the trunks in front of her and muttering "_Wingardium Leviosa" _began to move carefully up the stairs toward their dormitories.

James was sitting on his bed which, like the rest of his room, was really just the same as his dormitory in the Gryffindor tower only bigger.

"Stupid…never…covering eyes…git" as he was wondering to himself whether Lily would even talk to him to do their duties this year he heard footsteps. Then Lily appeared in his doorway with a floating trunk that looked oddly familiar.

"I could have levitated the trunks couldn't I?" James felt like a complete dolt.

"Yep" Lily was rather enjoying this.

"Well anyway thanks for bringing it up to me." James carefully took the trunk from her and floated it away to the foot of his bed.

Lily smiled and walked back to her room which like James', was very similar to her old dormitory. She collapsed on her bed and thought that if James continued being this normal and less egotistical she didn't think it would be too horrible sharing this space with him.

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**ok! there we go chapter four up! hopefully in the next week or so i'll have the next one up! its the start of classes and is shock horror James actually in the LIBRARY?! i do however go away on the 15 Jan untill the 28 Jan. I know im ecstatic too! so if i dont(or if i do) post before then i should have at least two chapters to post by the end of the month. or i can try to post from the laptop...and im rambling...PLEASE REVIEW. this week up for grabs is my frist born: Tomato!**


	5. In the Library

**HEY GUYS!!!! HANDS UP IF YOU THINK I'M DOING WELL! THREE CHAPTERS IN A WEEK! anyway this one is anothershock horror excahnge between Lily and James. remember Lily thoughts are italics James are bold. (not that these are James thoughts Hmmmmm. anyway...**

**ENJOY - **and once again a HUGE thanks to EVERY SINGLE person who reads this, yes you even if you dont review, although reviews are VERY much appreiciated!

* * *

The first few days of term passed without much incident, the exception being Fabien Prewett locking himself in the bathroom on the fourth floor. James Potter had reacted with feelings of mixed joy and worry when he learned him and Head Girl Lily Evans had almost identical timetables. The only classes they didn't have together were his Care for Magical Creatures and her Ancient Runes. During one of their late night patrols (as it was much easier for them to do the later shifts), Lily had confided in him that she too wanted to be an Auror.

"It makes sense to me, I mean sure being muggleborn it may not be the safest option but it's the smartest. It will give me the chance to protect and save people like, well people like my family." As she said this she turned away from James but he caught the tears she was trying to hide. He wanted to turn her around and tell her this was such a good reason to do it, not like him who didn't really need to work but wanted to help and not just sit around all day. But at the thought of touching her again, after their first night back at school James' stomach took a nose dive. He decided it was best to just let her be.

* * *

On Saturday afternoon Lily was in the library looking for books to help her with her Potions homework (a two foot essay on the use of Aconite in potions), and she had found the book she needed but was having trouble reaching it as it was currently placed on the very top shelf.

"Need help Lily?" Lily groaned inwardly, of course the one person that had to see her jumping and contemplating actually climbing the shelves would be James Potter. _Although he's not as arrogant as he once was. _

"I might, if I don't faint from the shock of the great James Potter actually being in the library." James felt his stomach(and heart) drop again, the week had been going so well, despite what Remus had initially said, about James only changing for Lily it had been wrong, he had actually grown up and he actually was trying to be nice to her and trying to do his Head duties right.

Lily saw the shadow of pain cross his face, maybe she had been too harsh but she thought it was a fair comment. The last time he had stepped foot in the library was the beginning of second year when he was trying to apologize for setting her owl on fire.

"Lily as much as it pains you to come nearly dead equal with me most years after me doing as you say no work, I do occasionally do my homework as I see you are trying to do but are unable to as you obviously can't reach the book and all I was doing was offering to help you but if you're going to be rude…" James had been speaking very fast in a very defeated tone but had trailed off upon seeing Lily's face soften.

"Oh well then thank you James. The blue book on wolfsbane, aconite I mean, please."

"Lily as surprising as it is to you I do know what aconite is, I know quite about werewolf's actually." The whole confession had been in a sad tone but the last part of his statement had been a whisper but because Madam Pince kept the library so quiet Lily was able to hear him easily.

"What do you mean? Why? Or is that just the same as me saying I know quite a lot about Hogwarts History?" James smiled at Lily fighting a raging battle in his mind about how much to tell her but finally accepting the obvious: that it was Remus' choice to tell her not his. He handed her the book.

"Good luck with the essay. Oh and you might want to mention the use of wolfsbane in the experimental Wolfsbane Potion. That Damocles Belby is working on it in Ireland." James turned and walked out of the Library hoping he could have told her more instead of leaving her standing in the middle of the room, blinking and mouthing 'thank you'.

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sooooo? whatd you think? please tell me im not going to beg for reviews but i will do sad cyber puppy god i mean dog eyes at you...  
ive already given away the tomato this week, so first reviewer this chapter gets...virtual muffins!!! YAH 

cough


	6. Secret Passageway Meetings

HEY! I am so, repeat SO sorry that I haven't updated in a while but im back at school in a week so it's been busy busy busy! So first up before my chapter, THANK YOU times one million to all my readers and reviewers particulary Missy Black and Karissa M and Maia and Emma-6373 . Also guys I really appreciate input so tell me if this is getting too clichéd or too out of character or anything (like Maia and yes i'm trying to work it in!.

DISCLAIMER: 1) I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Canon Characters or backgrounds and

2) this is not what I actually think happened in the books, but its what I think is a cool way for it to happen.(I'm not sure if that made sense but too bad.)

SO: HERE IT IS CHAPTER 6 Meetings in Secret Passageways.

* * *

Immediately after the slip in the library, James Potter pulled out his hand mirror and muttered "Sirius Black" into it, after first making sure he was in a deserted classroom.

"Prongs! How goes it?" Sirus looked like he was sitting out by the old Beech tree on the edge of the lake bank.

"Padfoot, you Moony and Wormtail if you can find him need to be in the passageway behind the mirror on the second floor in ten minutes at the most." Sirius raised his eyebrows in question and turned to Lupin.

"James what have you done?" Lupin who was leaning on the tree behind Sirius didn't even have to look up from his book to ask the question. Sirus nodded his head in agreement, his grey eyes shining with amusement.

"Why must you all assume I have done something wrong?" James felt the need to ask the question even though he knew Remus had been joking.

Remus sighed exasperatedly, "That's because you most likely have."

"But don't worry you prat we'll be there." Sirius had obviously felt the need to voice the obvious. James rolled his eyes and nodded then tapped the mirror twice to end the conversation.

* * *

As he made his way to the second floor mirror james realized he was still very worried about what he had said to Lily in the library. "_I know quite a bit about werewolfs actually." _If it had been anyone else he wouldn't been worried, but lily was different. She was smart, it was one of the things that he liked (and loathed) about her. If she hadn't already figured out Remus had a "furry little problem" it wouldn't take her long. She had already asked Remus near the end of last year why he was leaving once a month. He had had to settle with "my mother is very sick. Seeing me in the holidays isn't enough". Lily had instantly appeared upset for him, but James knew it wouldn't be long before she realized he was away on the full moon, or, and this was what worried him most, that this comment about werewolves would get her thinking. But at the moment he couldn't dwell on it. He had to meet the marauders.

* * *

"You said WHAT?!" this, oddly enough came from Sirius, not Remus.

"Padfoot, relax its not that bad. It's not like he was completely brainless and said 'hey Lily you know Remus? Well guess what he's a werewolf!" Remus looked pointedly at Sirius.

"Well…" said James purposely not looking at any of them.

"JAMES!" this was once again Sirius.

James chuckled, "Kidding kidding"

"Well Moony I have to admit you're right and it is your opinion that matters." Sirus actually looked upset that he couldn't abuse his best friend.

"Erm Remus? There was something I sort of wanted to ask you?" James looked at Lupin. His friend was looking back at him quizzically. Now he just needed to phrase this right. "Uh…if Lily should ask or bring it up or something…could I y'know say something? Maybe?"

Remus slowly backed himself up against the edge of the passageway and slid down putting his head in his hands. He suddenly looked older than his seventeen years. Certainly he had been through more than any other seventeen year old they knew of. The other three "normal" Marauders looked at each other then back at their Lycan friend. They knew deep down this had to be a tough decision for him, he had never told anyone, not even them, they had guessed. Remus was thinking very hard about this. It wasn't an easy choice to make. Although when he thought about it, Lily was very different to most people. She wasn't about to spread this around the way say, Snape would. She was also a Gryffindor; she wasn't likely to shy away from him once she knew. Slowly he raised his head and made eye contact with James.

They were silently conversing for what seemed like hours. Remus' eyes were almost pleading, James understood what his friend was trying to convey. Only if she asks, only if you know she will understand. If you trust her. James answered this with an eyebrow raise to signify that he would, that he knew she was a good person.

Lupin's face slowly was overcome by a small smile and a look of immense happiness.

"Okay".

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OH yes and i'm really sorry for the short chapters but i guess thats the sort of writer i am. hey on the upside you get more chapters!

so anyway please review! or even better spread the word! and remember what i said, input is always welcome.

so review!!! please


	7. Conversation In Classrooms

Hey guys sorry about the slow update! And once again, thanks to every one who reviewed and offered advice, it's much appreciated.  
And guys I just thought I would warn you but my writing from now on is going to be very inconsistent time line wise. I will skip from have three chapters about one day top skipping a whole week. And I also think you should know that I have the whole story planned out. It will span their whole seventh year and there will be 40 (although short-ish) chapters.

DISCLAIMER. – I do not own the works of JKR. I only own the plot.  
OK this chapter is called Classroom conversations for well, I would hope obvious reasons.

* * *

Lily Evans sat in her History of Magic class oblivious to her best friend Alice Smith trying to get her attention. Finally it took Alice setting Lily's notes one fire to get Lily's attention.

"What?" Lily snapped irately. It wasn't that she had actually been listening but she thought that as Head Girl she should at least pretend.

"Nothing. I just wanted to know why you keep staring at James Potter." Alice asked 'innocently' then turned back around to stare at the object of her desire, Ravenclaw's prefect Frank Longbottom.

"Oi, oi Alice!" Lily was now approaching a new dialect of parseltounge with her hissing.

"Miss erm, Edwards do you have something to say?" Professor Binns looked upset that someone would have interrupted his droning.

"No sir." Lily looked and felt abashed. She had never been in trouble before and she had no plan to. When she looked up from her desk she saw that the professor had continued with his lecture. She then turned to face the window and saw that none other than James Potter, who had been the object of her thoughts, looking at her with interest. He raised an eyebrow and grinned at her. She could feel herself blushing. _Goddamn it girl get a hold of yourself. Stop acting like a love-struck teenager.  
_She turned back to the blackboard once more but she could still feel the stare of the Head Boy on her.

* * *

After lunch the Marauders were sitting at the back of the Transfiguration Classroom listening to Lily and her friend's conversation as they tried to transfigure piglets into turtles.

"So he said what?" Alice was just as intrigued as Lily was by James' comments in the Library.

"That he knew quite a lot about werewolves. He sounded really sad when he said it too." This was what had been plaguing Lily the most, why he was sad when he said it. She had been thinking about it for well over three days now but hadn't had any logical answers. The only thing that had seemed even remotely possible was that James himself was a werewolf but then she had realized that he had once stalked her when she had been in the Gryffindor common room on the full moon just after Christmas of sixth year.

"SO what if he knows a lot about werewolves? Does it really matter?" As usual Fabien Prewett was behind the conversation. Lily was about to set him straight when she hear Sirius loudly protest;

"But I don't want to turn Jasper in to a turtle, what sort of name is Jasper for a turtle?" He was sitting at his desk with his arms folded looking very much like a petulant child. She stifled a giggle as she turned back to Fabien.

"Fabien for the last time, it's not what he said, well not completely, it's how he said it." But now that Lily thought about it she realized that knowing a lot about werewolves wasn't exactly a common interest. She shared this sudden revelation with her friends.

"You know you're right, I mean werewolves are kind of weird aren't they? They aren't exactly normal" This was once again Fabien being as thick headed as ever. Lily thought his comment was a bit unfair though. It wasn't as if they had a choice

But before she could reply they heard a crash from behind them. It seemed Sirius had jumped over the table two rows behind them, in what seemed like an attempt to catch his piglet. Lily looked up from Sirius' murderous face and to James. He had an expression she had never seen on his face and she had seen a lot. It was a mix of anger and disappointment; although why he would be looking at Sirius like that she didn't understand. Suddenly he looked up at her but quickly averted his gaze.

* * *

"Sirius next time you feel like killing Prewett maybe wait until we're out of the classroom." James informed Sirius after transfiguration. "Or at least make it less obvious than leaping over the desk" James added thoughtfully.

"I almost made it though, if the bloody pig hadn't got in the way."

* * *

Well that's it! Chapter 7! Magic number! No prizes for guessing why Prewett almost died, well unless it really good and not the obvious answer…

And sorry about this chapter I had total writers block, but it gets better next chapter! I noticed my writing isnt very long or descriptive so im working on that, so hopefully(!) chapters will start to be longer! pray hard guys!  
Next time on the FINAL YEAR: we meet some of Sir – WAIT! What's this I have got!? Lily pressed up close against a tall dark haired pure-blood male!? NEVER!!!!

Speculate away! (i enjoy it so much)


	8. Damsel in Distress?

HELLO MY MINIONS!!!! well FINALLY i updated and another in about 20 minutes! yah me! ok this chapter is James being cool and Lily being all lost and crap.  
OK AND WARNING!!!! (imagine a siren and revolving red light) as of chapter 10 i am changing the name of this story to : CHANGES OF THOSE WE THOUGHT WE KNEW. got that? good.  
DISCLAIMER: if i was JKR, i would pay for a gorgeous man to have million of dollars of plastic surgery to resemble SIRIUS BLACK!!!  
on with the show:

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Late Sunday afternoon James Potter was walking down the third floor corridor just pas the trophy room, trying to be a responsible Head Boy. However, this was not the only reason he had wanted to patrol a almost guaranteed deserted corridor, he was once again thinking about Lily and Remus' "Furry Little Problem". But as he passed the Charms classroom he heard male laughter coming form around the corner. He was immediately suspicious. The charms corridor was not a normal place to be on an unseasonably good day. So thinking this would be his chance to prove to Lily that he had really changed, he went to investigate.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good" James opened the Marauders Map with the required password. It took him a few seconds to locate himself and another few to see who was around the corner, but when he did he got a shock that rippled through his whole body. He saw _Lily Evans. _But more worrying than that was _Regulas Black, Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy _and various other senior students that James disliked with a passion.

Thinking hard, he ruffled his jet black hair trying to think of a plan. He knew he had no time to call for back from Sirius, but considering who they were dealing with Sirius probably wasn't the best person to have around anyway he realized. He also knew Lily was an amazing witch but surrounded but some prejudiced purebloods who, as much as James hated to admit it, we actually reasonably good wizards, James doubted even Lily could stop them all. James took a few stealthy steps forward, cursing himself for not having his invisibility cloak with him.

"Come on Mudblood" at this James felt his blood heat up. "What are you afraid of? Do you wish pretty boy Potter was here to save you?" by now James's blood was boiling. James chanced a glance around the corner. Lily was trapped in a circle of Slytherins looking defiant but even at a distance James could see the doubt in her glittering eyes. He leaned back against the wall and let out a deep breathe that he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Yes Evans, do you really need Potter to save you?" James was not surprised to hear Snape spit his name out.

"No I do not! And if you lot had any common sense you would leave me alone. I'm Head Girl!" Lily was showing her true Gryffindor colours and James was proud of her but even more worried; threatening a group of prejudiced purebloods wasn't smart.

Look mudblood, we don't want to hurt you, well maybe just a little because you disgust us so but… OI! Where are you going?" Lily had used the beginning of Regulas' monologue as a cue to exit and had begun tot walk towards the staircase. By now James was openly watching, but none of the Slytherins noticed him. He drew in a sharp breathe as Sirius's younger brother forcibly pulled Lily back into the group which immediately tightened to prevent another break.

"Pretty Mudblood thinks she's better than us? Tsk tsk, maybe we should teach you some manners." James stifled a growl as Regulas stepped towards Lily and pulled her flush against him. He was tall for a fifteen year old, almost as tall as Sirius. From James's point of view all he could she was Regulas's black hair and Lily's distraught face.

Suddenly, as if she had sensed him watching her, Lily's head shot up and looked James right in the eye. In that split second James knew what she was about to do and pulled his wand out at the ready. Lily took one slow step back from Regulas, unclenching her hand as she did so and slapped him across the face.

As he stumbled back Lily tried to leave again but was caught unawares by a few sixth years, who once more dragged her back.

"Evans, Evans, Evans" Regulas sighed, shaking his head. "That was stupid." To make sure Lily couldn't get to her wand he pulled her flush up against him. He grabbed Lily's hand and pulled it up to his red cheek. She went to open her mouth but;

"Touch her black and your life will not be worth living." James had stood in the shadows for too long.

"Potter step back before you make a grave mistake." James chuckled and pulled his wand out.

"Expelliarmus!" suddenly none of the Slytherins had wands but that didn't satisfy James. "Petrificus totalus!" now Regulas was in a full body bind, allowing James to get to Lily.

"Really Black, you should know by now I'm not afraid of you". Regulas, unable to actually say anything, shot James the dirtiest look possible. James just touched Lil's shoulder and walked away.

* * *

"Lily, please look at me" James and Lily had been walking in silence from the third floor back up to the common room and James had had enough, he pulled her into a History of Magic classroom. He had her head in his hands and he was trying to make her look at him. She was shaking and cold to touch.

"Lily, please believe me, I would have never let them hurt you-"

"No James don't play this like I'm a victim. Like I was defenseless. Like I can't defend myself. I'm not some pathetic female you needs to be saved." Lily's comments were full of venom. James was struck motionless by the intensity of her glare.

"That's not what I'm trying to do." He shook his head in disbelief. " Cant you see that? I was trying to help a friend." Internally James cringed at the word friend. It was the last thing he wanted to be with Lily but it seemed to placate her so he accepted it. Maybe that was as close as he would ever get with her.

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SO? what do we think?

love? hate? tell me. reviews are always appreciated.

NEXT TIME: lily yells, james nearly cires and sirius makes thing awkward! (what else would he do?)  
remember,** it was James and Sirius who stole the sexy from Justin Timberlake.**

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	9. Say Anything But That

Hey guys sorry about the slow update! And once again, thanks to every one who reviewed and offered advice, it's much appreciated.  
This is chapter 9 and remember chapter 10 I am changing the name of the fic to CHANGES OF THOSE WE THOUGHT WE KNEW, I did mention this a couple of weeks ago in my one-shot "You better not be…" (Shameless plug) but I thought I was going to be updating more often. So SORRY times one million about that!!!

DISCLAIMER: if I were JKR there would be entire volumes of books about the Marauders minus peter.

This chapter is **Say Anything but That. **And the title has very little to do with the actual chapter content. Oh yes Italics are Lily's thoughts

ON WITH THE SHOW: ((AH! Language warning!!!))

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Since the run in with the Slytherins a week earlier Lily had not spoken to James nor had she been anywhere near the third floor corridor unless absolutely necessary.

_Its not that I'm afraid._ She thought to herself as she walked down the stairs from her dorm. _I can't let Po-James think I'm weak or pathetic. I don't need his pity! I saw the look in his eyes. He shouldn't have needed to save me! _

Frustrated with herself Lily threw her arms up and collapsed onto the couch, without looking to see if someone was already there.

"Why Miss Evans to what do I owe this honour?" lily groaned inwardly as she realized she had literally thrown herself at Sirius Black.

"You don't" she replied in a clipped voice.

"Then why are you in my lap? I do have other uses for it than being your seat." Lily visibly shuddered at his smirk; she didn't need those images in her head.

"No it's just I'm annoyed at myself and I'm not talking to James and I keep seeing the look on his face when your brother…" lily abruptly stopped when she saw the look on _Sirius_'s face when she said 'your brother'. All of Gryffindor knew Sirius had run away from home to live with the Potters a few years ago. Mentioning any of the Black family around him was a bad idea.

"When Regulas what?" Lily saw his grey eyes darken and noted the use of his brothers first name as opposed to my brother.

Lily climbed off him and began to explain "Ja-"

"Come on Padfoot ready to go?" James came bounding down the stairs but stopped when he saw the scene below him. Lily was standing gaping up at him and Sirius was clenching and un-clenching his fists.

"James, mate" It didn't take a genius to hear the anger in Sirius's voice, and see the gritted teeth, "What the hell did my sack of dung brother do to Evans?" They all knew it wasn't a question. Lily, not wanting to be caught up in this fight started towards the portrait hole but was stopped by James.

"Lily, no." slowly she turned and walked back to the staircase, sitting on one of the lower steps.

"Padfoot, I stopped a group of piece of shit Slytherins up on the third floor last week they were hanging around being jerks"

"And? What does this have to do with Evans?" Lily watched this exchange between the best friends, noting the similarities. The black hair, they were almost identical in height, they even stood the same way. James however was thinner, like he had just grown into this new body, Sirius filled out very well, mostly muscle form Merlin knew where. Lily realized that Sirius would be the first person he would normally tell about this sort of thing. She wasn't sure why James suddenly deemed this a secret.

"James? Why the fuck did you not tell Sirius? He's his damn brother! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Lily suddenly understood why James hadn't told him, James had thought the Slytherins would actually hurt her. That she had actually been in trouble. She stood, slowly shaking her head and walked out into the corridor.

* * *

"LILY!" James trailed off when he realized his cries wouldn't be answered. He quickly spun back around to face Sirius, who now looked rather sheepish.

"Um…so I've never heard her swear before" It was now James's turn to stare down his best friend.

"Prongs, just tell me what happened" Sirius was speaking gently, not something usually done by manly men such as himself.

James sighed and ruffled his hair.

"Lily got stopped by some Slytherins, led by your brother, all of them idiots by the way. They wouldn't let her go so she slapped Regulas. He didn't like it and pulled her up against him so he couldn't get to her wand." James closed his eyes at the memory, Sirius winced, he could only imagine how painful it must have been for James. "So I stepped in, fired off a few jinxes and yanked Lily out. And now she's not talking to me because she thinks I thought I needed to save her when she didn't. And now she's really pissed at me because I didn't tell you."

"Wow. So let me get this straight, you rescued Evans? That Evans, who just walked out the door? Who cannot only whoop your arse but mine too? You really are an idiot." James glared at his friend. "Right, not helping. But hey this gives us more reason to hate Snivellus." James also did not miss the fact Sirius omitted his brothers name.

"Padfoot I know I messed up and now she'll never say yes!" James had his head in his hands looking thoroughly pathetic.

"Mate, really you're not on some divine mission to get her to love you. OH guess what I saw last night? Hogsmede posters! Next weekend, exciting huh? We can stock up on pranks on Snape."

"Uh, Sirius, Snape was there, but Regulas was the one actually hurting Lily." James gritted his teeth and growled slightly before pushing the thought out of his head. "He was in complete control, of all the Slytherins, a fifth year."

"Well he is a Pureblood Black" Sirius's voice was laced with disdain. "Hey just think, it could have been me." Sirius looked thoroughly sick at the thought.

James looked up in surprise as if he couldn't believe Sirius was saying this.

"Nah mate sorry, you're too much of a wuss." Sirius and in turn James smiled at the thought.

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WELL? What do we think? Two updates in two days is good huh?! Yeah I thought so. Anyway read and review and just remember: Sirius and James are the ones who stole Justin Timber-losers Sexy. They stole it all for themselves to share and pass onto Harry and Ron.  
NEXT TIME: Hogsmede and awkward conversations are overheard(but don't expect that in too much of a hurry, its not written yet. Oops)

Reviews are appreciated; flames are discouraged but will be used to make s'mores if you give them!!!


	10. Perilous Potions

This story USED to be called **The Final Year **but is now: **Changes of Those we thought we knew. **The final year was NEVER meant to be the real title it just took me ages to find one I liked! OK let's get going!

CHAPTER 10: PERILOUS POTIONS

So I'm SO SO SO SO SO sorry I haven't updated in ages! It's been so busy her in NZ (yeah I know a contradiction if there ever was one!) BUT now that I've got this up HOPEFULLY everything else will kind of sink back into place! ((OH! Also I've got a new one-shot up and one more in the works… SHAMELESS PLUG))

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything you recognize (mainly characters) etc etc

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Later that day Lily and James had Potions along with Remus Sirius and Alice. Professor Slughorn strongly favored both Lily and James so for the first and last time ever assigning partners. Lily had already filled Alice in about her 'fight' with James and was relieved to hear she was sympathetic.

"You're kidding me? He thought you needed protecting? Prick"

"You see? This is why we are friends!" Lily exclaimed as she unwrapped a chocolate frog.

But as much as she had complained _about_ James to her friends she had yet to speak to him properly and civilly. She needed to know what was going through his idiotic head and discuss his complete arrogance. Not that she actually but Alice and Amelia had insisted that she speak to him in Potions. Fabien of course had no opinion.

James was already leaning against the wall outside the dungeon when Lily arrived. Alice put her hand on the small of Lily's back and 'gently' pushed her toward James. While Lily was semi prepared she stumbled over her own foot and landed in the arms of James Potter, who had moved very fast to stop her falling flat on her face. She realized that after swearing at him violently earlier, repeating the incident would not help matters so instead she shook herself out of his grasp trying not to notice that his smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

Lily and James were near the front of the class, across the aisle from Severus Snape. As they walked into class he was mocking Lily's fall and James quickly whipped out his wand but was stopped by Lily's hand placed softly on his chest.

"Don't. He's not worth it". She whispered.

James looked down in surprise. This was the first time…_ever_ she had touched him without intent to hurt. She noticed his wide eyes and quickly pulled her hand away and quickly began to work on the potion.

As she was chopping ingredients, James watched her. Her hair was shielding her face but he knew her well enough to know that her cheeks would have a faint tinge of pink, contrasting her beautiful green eyes perfectly.

She could feel his stare and decided it was a good time to apologize.

"James, about this morning-" she began gently but was interrupted.

"Look Lily I'm the one who needs to be sorry, I shouldn't have presumed what you would or wouldn't have wanted. I'm sorry; I won't make that mistake again". Lily stopped working and looked up at him, surprised. As she had noted on the first day of school he had grown even more over summer, now far surpassing 6 foot. The deep mature voice once reserved for her, was universal for everyone. He didn't mess around in class anymore – well not as much anyway. Things were still the same though. The same twinkle in his eyes, his smirk and his hair was still messy as ever.

"No James I overreacted. Its just Sirius would have been the one person I would have thought you would have told. I mean it was his brother"

"But Lily that's exactly why I couldn't tell him, because it's his brother. Add that to the fact that Regulas picked you out because of…your parents" his last sentence was less heartfelt, like he had to check himself to make sure he didn't say something wrong. Lily knew it wasn't what he had planned to say but let it go.

"Well anyway, I'm sorry for over reacting. It was unfair of me."

James smiled. "Does it really matter? Now do you want to squash the beetles or shall I?"

* * *

As the class trickled out James was ambushed by his best friend and bombarded with questions.

"Mate why didn't you tell her you really like her? Not in the 'Whoa Evans is the ONLY girl who won't date me… Must conquer Evans, Must Conquer Evans way, but really really like her way? And that you want to be more than friends?" Sirius asked him as he dragged him off for pie.

"Because _she_ doesn't want that and I'm not going to push her. In fact? I'm not even sure she likes me as a friend!"

"Yeah but that's not all is it?" Sirius lowered his voice and tried to sound concerned and good-friend like.

"No, no its not" James answered wistfully after asking the House Elves for all available pie, still determined to believe Sirius really couldn't eat 29 different types of pie consecutively. "If Lily knew why Regulas really picked her out, she would run 100 miles in the opposite direction of me, that is, if she doesn't kill you, me and him. If she knew Regulas hurt her because it would get to me, which gets to you because of how I feel about her, then…" James trailed off knowing Sirius would be able to fill in the blanks. Even if his mouth was stuffed with pie.

"Please, my family doesn't give a shit about me. Regulas included" James raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything.

"Still you should tell her that you love her – Yes you do" Sirius corrected James as he started to interrupt. "Even I can see that. But she doesn't get it. She thinks it's still a game. I know you've told her, but when you go and hex Snape immediately after (which he still deserves by the way), it doesn't exactly inspire confidence." When he stopped to start on the 19th pie he noticed a look of horror on his best friends face.

"Remus, how did you and Sirius manage to brew a Polyjuice potion without me knowing?"

"Oh ha-ha very bloody funny. By the way you owe me a galleon! That was pie number 29!"

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SO? What are we thinking? That was a semi- filler chapter….but the underlying story is vaguely important!  
NEXT TIME: a Hogsemede weekend. And James tells Lily something VERY important!

REVIEWS ARE ALWAYS LOVED AND APPRECIATED!


	11. AUTHORS NOTE! I'm Sorry!

Hey everyone…

Sorry but this story is temporarily going on hold. I have one more chapter that I have half written but I don't know when I will post it. I have the whole story thought out in my mind but I am just having so much trouble writing it up and putting it into chapters.

I don't know when I will start it up again. Keep it on your alerts so you don't miss out!! (Yeah right). I'm so busy and stuff at the moment there just isn't time!

Also I have a new story that I REALLY want to get up and I like it a heck-uva lot better than this one at the moment so yeah. Also look out for my oneshots which again I like, and enjoy writing much more than this.

So sorry again but there's not much I can do… (


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